Rowan's POV

Thump

Another knife hit the trunk of the tree where I had drawn a circle. The work day was over and the sun is about to set, but I don't care. I've done this since I was thirteen, after my second reaping. Unprepared children gets sent to the Games and forced to die for the Capitol's pleasure. I've never wanted to be in the games, but if there's one thing that I've learned during these past couple of years it's that the odds are never in our favor. I will be selected and I would have to kill children. I know that it is illegal to train before you've been reaped but I don't see any of the richer districts following that rule. Why should I? My boyfriend always tells me that I will get in trouble for this. It hasn't happened yet, so why should it start now?

"Hey!" I hear from behind me. I throw the knife that was in my hand at the tree, but due to the sudden interruption it misses. I turn around to see one of the Peacekeepers standing there. Now I'm in trouble. "What do you think you are doing?" She asks me with a stern voice. Wait a minute, I know that voice.

"Oh, you know. Opposing the president by throwing knife at their most precious tree. Such a crime. Better arrest me before this gets out of hand." I tease her. She stands still, a couple of feet away from me, with arms crossed over her chest. Then she starts to chuckle and I join her. Her hands reaches for her helmet and she takes it off. I knew it. It was Lori, my friend who just happens to be a Peacekeeper.

"You're lucky I was the one who found you." She says with a grin on her face. "If someone else, like Giron, saw you, you would be in real trouble. And it might as well have been Snow's precious tree you just attacked." She says while pointing at the tree behind me. "Where did you get the knife?" She asks me.

"Well, having a father who just happens to be the only butcher in town, it has a few perks."

"Does he know you've taken those?" I stay silent. I never told him but he knows that I am nowhere in the town during the evenings. 'I'm just worried for you' he always tells me when told I don't want to give up my location. Bullshit! If he was so worried for me, he would look for me himself. Lori notices my silence and drops the subject.

"Have you even practiced on a moving target yet? I bet that the tributes in the Arena wouldn't stand still waiting for you to throw knifes at them, or that they are as big as a tree." She tells me. That is true. I've only ever practiced my technique, not my actual skill. I shake my head at her. She then sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. She's not really disappointed at me, more like tired. "Come on. It's getting late. Wouldn't want any of the other peacekeepers getting you, now would you?" She's right. The longer I stay, the likelier I will get found, and I have a feeling that if another Peacekeeper finds me it won't be such a pleasant meeting.

I pull the knives out of the bark of the tree. Some of them are stuck real hard, but I manage to get all of them in my bag. Lori offers to escort me to the fence, but she can't be seen with me for too long. People will start to suspect something is happening.

Once I am safely inside, Lori leaves with a "See you later". She probably means tomorrow at the Reaping. This will be my final year taking part of the reaping, wether I get chosen or not. Halfway home I realize that I need an alibi, something to tell my father once I am home. I decide to tell him that I was with Tristan, my boyfriend. Tristan, and now Lori, are the only ones who know that I practice out in the woods. He will back me up.

I am now home and I don't see my father anywhere. Our living quarters are right behind and above the shop. The shop is now closed, it closes at 6 in the evening. I walked in from behind, where our living- and dining room is. On the right side of the door there is the archway to the kitchen. It's not much. Only a stove, sink, fridge, and a counter where you can't do much preparing food on. On the left there is a table with four chairs around it. Not the prettiest chairs, but it works. A little further into the room, also on the left, there is a couch with a small TV in front of it. There is also a staircase on the far wall of the room leading to the second floor, where our bedrooms and toilet are. I share bedroom with Riley, my younger sister, while my father sleeps alone.

Down the stairs comes a small, frail girl who only a month ago reached the age of three.

"Row!" She calls out in glee and runs straight to me. I pick her up and she starts laughing.

"You've grown today!" I tell her with a groan as I pick her up. "How is little Ry today?" I ask her.

"I helped dad selling meat!" She tells me.

"Rowan?" My father comes down the stairs with a questioning expression. "Where were you? We could have used your help today."

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to spend today with Tristan, considering today might be last day I'll be able to see him." Saying it out loud, I realize that is what I should have done.

"We are your family. You should spend it with us." He tells me as I put Ry on the ground.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" I am starting to get frustrated. He is too worried.

"Riley, go upstairs." Dad tells her. She complains but then does as he says, leaving me and him alone.

"I couldn't find a couple of my knives today. Do you know what happened to them?" He asks me. I gulp, hoping he didn't see it, and shake my head. He doesn't buy it. "Give me your bag." He says and reaches out his arm. I clutch my bag with my hand, not wanting to give it to him. "Rowan" He says warningly. I finally do as he says and gives him the bag. He looks inside it and finds the missing knives. "Rowan, where were you do today?" He repeats the same thing he asked me earlier.

"I was practicing, alright?!" I tell him with anger.

"Practicing?! That's against the law!"

"Don't you think I already know that? I need to be ready if I'm ever chosen!" He starts to walk into the kitchen with a sigh.

"You are too much like your mother." He mutters to himself.

"Why is that a problem?" I ask him.

"I can't-" He starts, not wanting to tell me. He has never actually told me what happened to my mother. One day she was just gone and she never came back. My father knows what happened to her but doesn't want to tell us.

"Just tell me already! I am eighteen! I should know the truth!" I yell at him. He looks at me with sad eyes, then turns away. "Forget it." I say and I walk up the stairs to my bedroom.

"Why you yell at dad?" Riley is standing at the doorway to our bedroom. Of course she heard me.

"Don't worry about it. Have you eaten yet?" I ask her.

"Yes. I eaten before you come home."

"Alright, lets get to bed." I carry her to her bed. We share a bunk bed and she sleeps on top. She giggles when I carry her. Once she is tucked in her bed I kiss her forehead and whisper "Goodnight" before laying down on my bead as well. I need my rest for tomorrow, even though I might not even get chosen.


I could not be more wrong. I could barely hear anything when our Capitol escort, Maximus, called my name from the stage he was standing on. Now I'm behind the stage and prepared to say goodbye to my friends and family. My dad and Riley walks in first, hugging me. Riley must not know what exactly will happen to me but she knows that I will leave her. Next was Tristan. He runs right to me and traps me in a tight hug which I do not mind.

"I swear if I was eighteen, I would volunteer and take your place." He sobs.

"Don't you dare." I tell him. He is nineteen, meaning he will never enter the Hunger Games. Unless during the next Quarter Quell if everyone above 12 must enter, but that doesn't seem like something the Capitol would do. They are much more cruel than that.

He pulls away from the hug and kisses me for the last time before I go.

"Survive for me." He tells me once he pulls away. I nod at him and he is escorted out by a Peacekeeper. Another escorts me to the car which is waiting for me and the female tribute, Maple. She is a strong-willed, young girl. Even though she is small, she is quick. I've seen her in town pick-pocketing. None of the Peacekeepers have ever caught her. I bet that when her name was called out, the Peacekeepers were smiling under their helmets. What punishment is worse than being entered in the Games? That is what I've always asked myself but now I ask myself another question: What did I do to earn this punishment?